Thousands of downloadable programs and online services exist on the web -- if you know where to look, that is.

From free anti-virus to no-cost alternatives for storing important files, there's no shortage of quality programs. There might be a catch, however: some of these apps may be advertising-supported and don't offer extensive tech support, if any. In some cases, you might also see a "nag screen" to upgrade to a pro version of the software.

But for Canadian entrepreneurs or small businesses looking to save some cash, these are often minor inconveniences.

And so the following is a look at five recommended freebies.

To serve and protect

A small handful of anti-virus programs are available to download and use – for free -- but one of the highest-rated is Avast! Free Antivirus, which has received an average user score of 4.5 stars out of 5 at CNET.com. This program protects your computer in real time from viruses and spyware, the latter of which can be Trojan horse files buried in another download and secretly spying on your web surfing activity. Spyware can also slow down your PC, cause inappropriate pop-up windows or even add a toolbar to your web browser without your permission. Time is money, as they say, so your business likely can't afford to slow down over an infected computer. Avast! isn't just for web protection, but also filters your emails, instant messaging programs, and more. A simple-to-use interface also makes it a great pick for computer users on a tight budget.

What's up, Docs?

While Microsoft Office is the granddaddy of office productivity software, you could spend up to $669 for the suite of programs ("Professional Edition"). Instead, the completely free OpenOffice.org from Oracle includes a number of powerful applications that include word processing, spreadsheets, presentation creation, databases and graphics. OpenOffice.org is also available in multiple languages and runs on many operating systems, plus the suite supports a wide range of file types created by other programs (yes, you can even import your Microsoft Office files such as .doc, .xls, .ppt, and others). Because this is "open-source software," you can install it on as many computers as you like and make copies for your employees, friends and family.

To the cloud!

It's important to back up important files to protect them from theft, fire, flood, nasty viruses and power surges. Instead of buying an external hard drive or USB thumbdrive, however, you can take advantage of free online storage with services such as Microsoft's Windows Live SkyDrive. Consider it a password-protected virtual drive that resides on the web, with up to 25 gigabytes (GB) of free storage offered per account (you can have multiple accounts). Not only is Windows Live SkyDrive easy to use, but you can also access your files from any Internet-connected computer in the world, and, if you like, even section off part of your storage folders for colleagues or clients to access with a different password -- ideal for sharing large files.

Customer care

Customer Relationship Management software could run you a pretty penny, but a small business might first consider a free alternative to see if it suits their needs. FreeCRM.com, for example, is a web-based solution for managing customer data and sales force automation – including common tasks ranging from contact/lead tracking, sales forecasting and pipeline management, group calendaring, support ticket and customer service, call automation, integrated email campaigns, and more. This software is free to use for up to 50 users, while the "pro" (paid) version adds advanced features such as support automation, XML web services, synchronization tools, technical support, unlimited data storage and no advertisements.

Picture perfect

Chances are your business deals with photos on a daily basis, whether it's product pictures, website design, editing for social media initiatives or newsletters and brochures. So, how do you organize, edit and share these assets? One of the most intuitive and powerful – and free -- photo management programs is Google's Picasa. The 12-megabyte download is a breeze to use, offers many editing tools (including exceptional one-click red-eye fix) and has a clever "tagging" feature that scans all the photos in your collection, identifies the ones with faces, and groups photos with similar faces together; then you can add name tags to dozens of photos at once by clicking "Add a name" below a photo and typing in the person's name. Picasa currently works on Windows, Macintosh and even Linux operating systems. More advanced users in search of free photo editing software might consider GIMP, also available for Windows, Mac, Linux and other operating systems.